CCM Newcomer Coquí Talks About His New Release ‘Today’

Hailing from Los Angeles, Samuel Jacob Lopez Jr., better known as COQUÍ, has become an innovative force in the music scene, blending nostalgic production with infectious melodies for a unique twist on modern rock. Influenced by the psychedelic sounds of the ’70s, ’90s boom-bap beats, skate-punk rebellion, and grounded in his deep Christian faith, COQUÍ’s music is a call to introspection and conviction.  Today, we sit down with Samuel about his new signing with Los Angeles label DREAM Records and his new song “Today.”

Congrats on signing to DREAM.  Lance Brown was telling me how excited he is for your career and what’s to come.  Can you tell me about your new song “Today” and what you hope your fanbase will receive from listening to your new song?

It’s all about navigating through the shadows of worry and doubt by embracing faith and patience. At it’s heart, the song encourages us to let go and trust in something greater than ourselves (Jesus Christ) to lead the way. I hope this song strikes a chord with anyone searching for a new direction and gives shines some light into their lives.

Take us deeper into your writing process.   How do you write most of your songs.  What gives you inspiration?

Usually, I start writing a song by jamming out to some beats I’ve put together and recording whatever melodies pop into my head on my iPhone. I like to crank up the volume in my living room or car and pretend I’m performing live. It helps me find melodies that feel right and get me excited. Once I’ve got a rough idea of the tune, I sit down with my notepad and start scribbling down lyrics. I keep a bunch of song titles and lyric ideas in my notes app for inspiration. I’ll play back my voice memos, pick out any bits that sound like words, and work them into a verse or a hook. That’s how I usually do it. But sometimes, when I’m noodling around on my piano or guitar, I’ll hit a chord that makes me stop and write something right then and there. Those songs are special—they just flow out naturally and end up being some of my favorites.

I’ve really enjoyed hearing your music.  It’s definitely not your typical CCM style that we are used to hearing.  I’ve noticed that there are a number of new artists coming onto the scene that are trying to push the genre forward.  What artists influenced you growing up?

I got into music in middle school, drawn in by the church worship band that blended classic worship songs with punk rock, right when bands like Green Day and Blink 182 were huge. The guitarist, who also led a Bible study, gave me guitar lessons, teaching me simple punk riffs. This early exposure to punk and alternative rock definitely influenced my taste in music. Also, my older cousin who was into ’90s rock and hip-hop, left me her CD collection when she went to college, introducing me to a bunch of mainstream artists ranging from No Doubt and Nirvana to Mos Def and The Fugees. This variety shaped my appreciation for different styles from a young age. Later, I discovered niche genres like psych-rock and spaghetti western, influences that you’ll hear in my current productions. I love experimenting with genres, mixing sounds and styles that aren’t typically heard together.

Flipping gears a bit, I’d love to hear your testimony.  How did you get saved and how does your faith influence your music?

Yeah so I grew up in a very strict Christian household. When I turned 18, I moved out of my parents house and quickly found myself curious about the world. Years of losing myself to pride, selfishness and sin lead me to a dark place where I didn’t even recognize Jesus. It was years later during the pandemic when I hit rock bottom and finally woke up to the truth. God had revealed to me what I had known the entire time but chose to bury it in sin. It was so obvious that I couldn’t ignore it. From that moment on I made a promise to God that I would dedicate my talents to serve him and help others find their way back to him, like he did for me.

Moving forward, now that “Today” is released, what plans do you have next?  More music? Touring? 

 Definitely lots more music on the way, a few collabs in the works, more live shows and hopefully a tour this summer.. All in God’s timing.